Latest news with #MAstronomers
Time of India
3 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Strawberry Moon to Butterfly stars: 9 astronomical events you shouldn't miss out on in June 2025
The world of astronomy is one of the most enigmatic yet intriguing ones around. From stars forming unimaginable patterns to the meteors lighting the sky, there are a multitude of events that we humans await to experience in all their glory because space and its citizens are a thing of wonder to us. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Every month, some stunning visuals grace the skies and in June, these are the 9 astronomical events that you should definitely not miss out on. June 1: Catch a sight of Venus Image credits: X/@MAstronomers On June 1st, Venus will reach its farthest distance west of the sun from the point of view of the Earth and this point is known as the greatest western elongation. This is the perfect time to get a glimpse at the planet away from sunlight before dawn when it rises in the eastern sky in the Northern Hemisphere and northeastern sky in the Southern Hemisphere. June 2: The Great Hercules Cluster Image credits: X/@BigKahunaRon Globular clusters are densely packed clusters of hundreds of thousands of stars held together by gravity. On June 2nd, The Great Hercules Cluster or Messier 13 will reach its highest point in the night sky thus being perfect for viewing with the help of binoculars. Discovered in 1714 by English astronomer Edmond Halley, the one after whom Halley's comet has been named, this cluster has more than 100,000 stars in a spheroidal shape. June 7: Arietid meteor shower Image credits: X/@Tex369X Unlike other meteor showers that mostly happen at night, the Arietid meteor shower happens during daytime. This means most meteors are nearly impossible to see but if you get up in the pre-dawn hours on June 7, you might be able to see coloured dots in the sky. June 11: Strawberry moon Image credits: X/@dafaqzoey Seems impossible right? But yes, June's full moon, known as the "strawberry moon" will be visible on June 11. While the moon will not have the red colour, its name is derived from the Indigenous traditions in North America that link full moons to harvesting and hunting traditions. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Additionally, June is known for the ripening of wild strawberries too. June 16: Butterfly cluster Image credits: X/@maiz_julio The star Regulus which is known for its colourful twinkling will have a close encounter with Mars on June 16 just 90 minutes before sunset. Later around midnight, a globular cluster in the shape of a butterfly will be visible with the help of binoculars. June 22: Nebula Image credits: X/@maiz_julio In June, you can also catch a sight of the Lagoon Nebula or Messier 8 which is a swirling cloud of interstellar gas where stars are born. It will reach its peak in the sky on June 22 and while people in the mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere can see with the naked eye, others can make use of binoculars or telescopes. June 25: Stargaze Image credits: X/@uhd2020 On June 25, there's a new moon lunar cycle which means the sky will be dark enough for stargazing with your loved one. This is the perfect time to aim for the bigger beauties like the Milky Way. June 27: Bootid meteor shower Image credits: X/@wqed In case morning meteor showers are not your thing and the beauty of the night sky enchants you like no other, wait for the Bootid meteor shower which is known for its display of hundreds of shooting stars. June 30: Moon meets Mars Image credits: X/@StarWalk On June 30th, the waxing crescent moon and Mars will pass within 1°16' of each other. The distance between them is just that of a pinky finger and thus you'll be able to see them together with a pair of binoculars. Also, watch out for the "earthshine" phenomenon where light reflected from Earth makes the unlit part of the moon glow faintly just after sunset or right before sunshine.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
People are creeped out for same reason after seeing mind-blowing picture taken of asteroid in space
Giant rocks tearing through space at breakneck speed is terrifying at the best of times, but one picture of an asteroid has given many the creeps. There are an estimated 1.1 to 1.9 million asteroids bobbing about up there in space that stretch to a whopping 1 kilometer in diameter, according to NASA, and that's just the big ones. There are millions of smaller ones too. Earlier this year, the space boffins warned an asteroid called 2024 YR some tens of thousands of miles away in orbit actually posed a threat to our home planet, with NASA warning the gigantic beast the size of New York's Statue of Liberty could come careering towards us as early as 2032. NASA has since said the asteroid no longer poses a significant threat to us (phew!), but many are still afraid of them, and understandably so considering their mammoth size. Take for instance Donaldjohnson, which formed some 150 millions years ago and measures up to the size of not one but two of New York's Central Parks placed end-to-end. However, it's one seemingly inconspicuous space rock that is causing the latest stir as a close-up shot is giving many the heebie-jeebies. The asteroid in question is called Ryugu which boasts one of the 'clearest ever taken' of an asteroid. The image was taken by Hayabusa-2, a Japanese asteroid sampling mission, which returned samples of the asteroid back to Earth for study in 2020. An explanation from NASA explained the asteroid's significance, saying: "Asteroid Ryugu, a near-Earth and potentially hazardous asteroid, is classified as a Cb-type asteroid." They added that it's about 1km across and made of 'water-rich and carbonaceous materials' and said they hoped to learn about the evolution of the solar system by studying it. And while it's certainly thrilling and fascinating to see the rock so clearly, there's one element to it that's made some feel unsettled - and that is just how dark space actually is. The closest we come to seeing a total absence of light is perhaps images of the ocean at night, yet space is obviously darker, and therefore way more ominous. Dozens say they've been left feeling queasy by its inky blackness surrounding the asteroid and shared their thoughts on the ordeal on social media. One person wrote: "Imagine the last time that thing was as close to another light source," while another said: "Outer space seems less like a star ocean and more like an infinite void." Another said: "Agree, the complete void of space is so unsettling." Clearest image ever taken of asteroid Ryugu. The pitch black background is scary... — Curiosity (@MAstronomers) May 2, 2024 A fourth chimed: "OMG! At first glance I thought this was the bottom of the ocean." Just imagine being out there, alone, as others pointed out. "If we're out in that blackness, imagine what else is out there..." However, some astronauts said they were far from lonely when cruising through the abyss of space. Michael Collins, who piloted the command module on Apollo 11, became the most isolated human being in the entire universe when he passed around to the dark side of the Moon. Yet, he said he felt 'awareness, anticipation, satisfaction, confidence, almost exultation' on his trip.
